1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the general field of solar heating devices, and, more specifically, the present invention relates to a solar heat collector utilizing a specific heat collecting material for receiving solar energy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art discloses various heating devices for utilizing solar radiation to heat the interiors of building, with means for storing the heat when not needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,412,728--Thomason describes a typical solar heating device comprising a solar heat collector, having an outer transparent covering overlaying a corrugated heat collecting metallic sheet, preferably treated on its outer surface to absorb sun rays and convert them to infrared heat. The apparatus is provided with a passage means between the outer cover and metallic sheet so as to allow the passage of air to carry away heat absorbed by the sheet.
One of the most frequently used heat collecting materials of such solar heating devices is a metal surface coated with carbon black to increase its heat absorbing factor as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,183--Kenk.
Other materials commonly used to absorb energy from the sun are various black fabrics. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,174,915--Eblin describes a solar still utilizing a non-woven, loose, open black fabric composed preferably of polyacrylonitrile fibers which may be treated with a binder to impart sufficient body to retain its shape.
For the most part, however, most of the known solar energy collecting devices have proven to be bulky and heavy in construction, with the absorbent materials used therein susceptible to degradation by light, heat, or moisture, inefficient and/or especially costly to produce and replace. The present invention, on the other hand, provides a solar heat collector that is extremely lightweight, strong, easily installed, long lasting, inexpensive to produce, maintain, and replace, highly efficient, and utilizing absorbent materials extremely resistant to degradation by heat, light, or water.